Is ‘web traffic apocalypse’ coming? AI search summaries alarm publishers

The media companies are witnessing the advent of web traffic apocalypse as AI chatbots and summaries have plummeted traffic these digital companies received from online searches.

According to a new report published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, media executives globally fear search engine referrals will decline by 43 percent over three years.

Moreover, with the rise of AI overviews and chatbot assistance, news sites have been losing search traffic by a third over a year globally.

According to new data by Chartbeat, Google search has plunged by 33 percent. Specifically in the US, the figure is bigger.

When it comes to niches, celebrity, travel, and lifestyle content is more affected by AI bots compared to current affairs and live reporting.

Google’s AI Overviews comprise 10 percent of search results in the US as per report. In addition, the role of ChatGPT is also growing in media sites referrals.

Nic Newman, senior research associate at the institute, said, the online publishers are going to witness the end of the web traffic era.

Newman said, “It is not clear what comes next. Publishers fear that AI chatbots are creating a new convenient way of accessing information that could leave news brands – and journalists – out in the cold.”

“But tech platforms do not hold all the cards. Reliable news, expert analysis and points of view remain important both to individuals and to society, particularly in uncertain times. Great storytelling – and a human touch – is going to be hard for AI to replicate,” he added optimistically.

The report also shed light on the growing efforts among media companies to invest in digital platforms like TikTok and YouTube, aiming to expand their reach.